قَالُوٓا۟ أَءِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابًا وَعِظَـٰمًا أَءِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ 82
Translations
They said, "When we have died and become dust and bones, are we indeed to be resurrected?
Transliteration
Qalū a-idha mitnā wa kunnā turāban wa-ʿiẓāman a-innā lamabʿūthūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
The disbelievers mockingly question the possibility of resurrection, arguing that once they die and turn to dust and bones, they cannot be brought back to life. This ayah presents their objection to the Day of Judgment, which the Quran refutes throughout the surah by emphasizing Allah's power and wisdom. Classical exegetes like Ibn Kathir note this reflects the arrogance of the Meccan polytheists who rejected the resurrection doctrine as logically impossible.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Mu'minun, revealed in Mecca during the early-middle Meccan period. The surah addresses the denial of the Hereafter by the Meccan polytheists, who rejected resurrection as an irrational concept. This particular ayah captures their characteristic mockery (sukhriyyah) toward Islamic teachings about the afterlife.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari (3334): The Prophet ﷺ said, 'The best of you are those who believe in me and in the resurrection,' relating to those who accept the Day of Judgment. Also relevant: Surah Yaseen (36:78) contains a similar objection about resurrection, addressed directly in multiple hadiths affirming Allah's ability to resurrect.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that rejection of the Hereafter often stems from limited human reasoning and inability to comprehend divine power beyond material existence. Modern believers should recognize that faith transcends empirical observation and that Allah's capability to resurrect is not bound by the limits of human imagination or current scientific understanding.